PISS Ministry finding // Ballistics / Projectiles / Materials
Ballistics
Ballistics System Mechanics
What happens between the muzzle and the wound
The firearm, barrel length and ammunition load set muzzle velocity: the speed of the round as it leaves the barrel. Its mass and speed determine its starting energy. Diameter and construction affect how it behaves when it strikes armor, cover or tissue.
Gravity curves the trajectory, or flight path. Drag is the resistance of the air, which slows the round. The simulation uses a ballistic coefficient and a G1 or G7 reference model to calculate that loss of speed under the current atmospheric conditions.
At each impact, the round may stop, penetrate or ricochet. Penetration means passing into or through a material; a ricochet deflects the round. Speed, impact angle, material thickness, resistance and remaining durability determine the result. Any continuing round carries its new direction and residual energy into the next contact.
This allows a shot to pass through several barriers, reach a target with reduced energy or stop before it reaches the body. Ammunition choice, range and cover all contribute to the injury a shot can cause.
When a round reaches the body, anatomy receives its entry position, direction and remaining energy. That system traces the structures it damages. Physiology then updates blood loss, circulation and other effects of the wound over time.
Ballistic Glossary
These terms describe the round at launch, during flight and after each impact.
| Variable | Unit or result | How it affects the shot |
|---|---|---|
| Projectile mass | grains | The mass of the round, measured in grains. Mass and speed determine its kinetic energy, the energy it carries through motion. |
| Muzzle velocity | m/s | The speed of the round at the barrel exit. Ammunition, firearm and barrel length set this starting value. |
| Drag model | G1 / G7 | G1 and G7 are reference models for air resistance. The ballistic coefficient describes how the round slows relative to the chosen model. |
| Atmosphere | C / kPa / % RH | Temperature, pressure and relative humidity determine air density. Denser air increases drag, so the round loses speed faster. |
| Travel state | m / s / m/s | The distance traveled, elapsed flight time and current speed, updated throughout the shot. |
| Impact energy | joules | The energy carried by the round when it strikes something, calculated from its mass and speed. |
| Barrier contact | material / cm / angle | The material, effective thickness and angle of contact. These affect whether the round stops, passes through or deflects. |
| Armor response | stopped / defeated | The game compares armor resistance and remaining durability with the incoming round. Defeated armor allows the round through with reduced energy. |
| Penetration | entry / exit | The entry point and any exit from a material or body. At an exit, the game updates the round’s speed, energy and direction before it continues. |
| Ricochet | direction / retained energy | A change of direction after a glancing impact. The round continues with the energy it retains. |
| Residual energy | joules | Energy left after an impact. A round that passes through armor or cover carries this reduced amount into its next contact. |
| Barrier history | ordered record | An ordered record of every material the round strikes. It lets the final wound be traced back through the preceding impacts. |
Read the barrier history alongside residual energy to see what happened to the round before it reached the body.
Gameplay footage is not yet published. Simulation tuning and the cues that explain impacts to players are still in development.